Introduction
When you hear about a social media strategy for nonprofits, we always hear about Facebook, Instagram, and even Tik-Tok. But one platform many nonprofits forget is the LinkedIn For Nonprofits program.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tik-Tok are all valuable social media platforms for growth. But what makes LinkedIn great isn’t the platform. Instead, it’s the audience who uses that platform.
What Is LinkedIn For Nonprofits?
LinkedIn is a social media platform for business professionals. While it is commonly used to connect with other professionals or hire people, LinkedIn can also be a great platform for nonprofits. On the platform, nonprofits can raise awareness, find new donors, and network with other nonprofits and professionals.
LinkedIn is a social media platform for business professionals. While it is commonly used to connect with other professionals or hire people, LinkedIn can also be a great platform for nonprofits. On the platform, nonprofits can raise awareness, find new donors, and network with other nonprofits and professionals.
4 Tips For Success With LinkedIn For Nonprofits
Setup an Organization Page
To maximize your success with LinkedIn for Nonprofits, one of the most important steps is to set up a page for your organization. Your nonprofit’s page will likely be the first place that LinkedIn users will see your organization, so you want to leave a good first impression.
Remember to include your logo, add a cover photo, and link to your website. In addition, you should write a great description to describe your nonprofit. You should also try to fill out as many fields of information as possible. You can find more information about setting up a professional LinkedIn company page here.
After your LinkedIn page is ready, ask people involved in your organization to include their experiences on their personal LinkedIn pages. In addition, people in your organization who will be involved in outreach should build professional, complete profiles. This will make your LinkedIn outreach strategy more professional, leading to a higher conversion rate.
Post Regularly On Your LinkedIn Pages
Now that your LinkedIn page is setup, the next step is to work on a content marketing strategy. I would recommend working on a content calendar to help schedule content efficiently.
Here are some LinkedIn post ideas for nonprofits:
- Job Openings
- Upcoming Fundraisers and Events
- Press Releases
- Volunteer Requests
- Behind The Scenes Content
- Relevant Statistics
- Local Community Events
While creating this content, remember to maintain quality in your posts. Your followers should find your post engaging, informative, or emotionally appealing, depending on the post type. Here are some LinkedIn content tips from OkDork.com:
- Keep Titles Between 40 and 49 Characters
- Add Multiple Images In Your LinkedIn Post
- Add Multiple Headings In Your Post
- Create Content Between 1900 and 2000 Words
- Make Easily Readable Content
Note: The linked article states that you shouldn’t add video to your posts. This likely differs for nonprofits, so I would recommend testing out videos anyways.
In addition to posting on your organization’s LinkedIn page, you can also post on individual pages.
As stated in this WholeWhale article, “LinkedIn is chock full of content, with over 2 million posts, articles, and videos added to the platform every day. But the platform prioritizes personal, human connections and relationships. No one wants to network with a nameless, faceless organization. Rather than spending a ton of time and energy posting on your company page (where you will likely have fewer followers than on your personal page), leverage the extensive networks of your staff and board to build real-world relationships with their digital connections.”
Like the article said, pre-existing individual LinkedIn profiles likely have more followers than brand new organization pages. Adding content on individual profiles will reach more potential supporters for your nonprofit.
Use LinkedIn For Nonprofits To Recruit
LinkedIn can also be a great way to recruit for your organization. As a nonprofit, you probably need volunteers to support your organization. While platforms like Instagram and Facebook are great for recruiting individual volunteers, LinkedIn is a great platform for collaborating with businesses.
On LinkedIn, you can network with other organizations or companies to create a corporate volunteer program. According to charities.org, corporate partnership with nonprofits has a variety of benefits, such as:
- Employee participation increases
- 71% of employees feel that it is important to work with a company that is supportive of giving and volunteering
- 86% of business leaders feel that employees expect community opportunities
In addition, volunteering with nonprofits can give employees more experience to develop their skills. For example, a law firm could have an intern work with a nonprofit to organize legal documents.
Another option is to post a “job opportunity” for volunteers on LinkedIn. With LinkedIn, you can connect with people who are either looking to boost their resume or an opportunity to serve their community.
Use LinkedIn For Nonprofits To Fundraise
In addition to working with companies to find volunteers, you can also work with companies for donations. Here are some corporate giving statistics from nonprofitssource.com:
- 90% of companies indicated that partnering with reputable nonprofit organizations enhances their brand and 89% believe partnering leverages their ability to improve their community
- Around $5 billion per year is raised through workspace giving
- 9 out of 10 companies offered a matching gift program
Corporate giving is a crucial tool for nonprofits. Many companies may be interested in supporting your nonprofit, especially if you support local communities. Even if they aren’t interested in directly supporting your nonprofit, you can ask to join their donation matching program.
This is where setting up individual LinkedIn profiles can be useful. Individuals can reach out to other individuals involved in philanthropic departments at a company, and having a professional profile will greatly increase your chances of success.
Conclusion on LinkedIn For Nonprofits
LinkedIn For Nonprofits is a great tool for organizations who are looking to expand their impact and reach. While it isn’t an obvious tool for nonprofits, it should be.
Nonprofits can use LinkedIn to recruit volunteers, raise money, and build up a following.
LinkedIn lets nonprofits expand their visibility, connect with professionals, and work with companies to maximize their success.
Another useful social media platform for nonprofits is YouTube, and you can find more information about it here.